On Days Like These
by Jennifah88
Summary: After a summer away in Paris, Joey returns home to Capeside for a few days and runs into the person she least expects to see: Pacey. Old memories resurface and the rest is history. Pacey/Joey WIP. Chapter 2 up 10/11
1. Default Chapter

TITLE: On Days Like These  
RATING: PG-13  
CATAGORY: Pacey/Joey  
SUMMARY: After a summer away in Paris, Joey returns home to Capeside for a few days and runs into the person she least expects to see: Pacey. Old memories resurface and the rest is history. Pacey/Joey WIP.  
  
Sitting by the water on a warm August afternoon; my feet dangling over the edge of the dock, I look about at the endless miles of water that stretched before me. The sun was out through partly clouded skies, casting a faint shimmer over the creek. It's on days like these that I miss the place where I grew up in. There's a certain comfort in knowing every nook and cranny of every shop; of having lived here your whole life and yet still be a stranger to some people.  
  
During college last year, I would often awake in the middle of the night - sweat dripping from my body, expecting to hear the cries of a baby. It was then I realized that I was really in my dorm room, and not, in fact, back in the B&B with Alex and Bessie. I don't know if I was disappointed or relieved. It's hard to tell which anymore.  
  
My feet lap the cool water, as a gentle breeze floats through the air, relaxing my senses. In a few days I will be heading back to my new life, so I might as well enjoy it while I can.  
  
Footsteps crunch over grass, and in a second I see someone approaching behind me. "Hey, Potter," he says, as I turn my head; my eyes popping out in disbelief.  
  
"Pacey!"  
  
He whirls around once. "In the flesh."  
  
My mouth hangs open, not expecting to see him here. "What are you doing here? I thought you'd be in L.A with Audrey."  
  
A cloud darkens his face; but only for a moment, and then he is his usual perky self again. "Things change," he says simply, as if he can't be bothered with going into a full explanation.  
  
"Are you going to further explain that comment or am I going to have to drag it out of you?"  
  
"Wow, I'm back all of two seconds and you're already threatening me with physical torture? It's nice to see things haven't changed."  
  
I can't help it; a grin escapes my lips, but I quickly force it back. "Ha ha," I mutter sarcastically. "But seriously Pace, I kind of feel I have the right to know. She is, after all, my roommate."  
  
Moving himself into a sitting position, he scoots himself closer to me at the water's edge; his gaze almost distant as it trails across the shore. Everything about him seems distant all of a sudden, and that makes me worry. "It was nothing."  
  
"If it was nothing you'd tell me what it is already," I say skeptically, turning my head to look at him.  
  
Silence. Minutes seem to pass before he finally speaks; his voice hoarse and gravelly. "We sort of got into a fight."  
  
My eyebrow raises slightly. "Is that all? I never would have guessed." The sarcasm is evident in my voice as I speak. The moment I saw him standing there before me - I knew something had gone down, I could see it in his eyes. And why else would he have been back so soon?  
  
"Yeah, well, enough about me. Let's talk about more interesting subject matters, like you, for instance. How was Paris?"  
  
Shaking my head at his attempt at changing the subject, I say, "Fine."  
  
"Not glamorous, exciting, or even mundane? Just 'fine?' You surprise me, Potter."  
  
"Well...it was okay," I say slowly, my mind flashing back to late night strolls around town; drinking tea at cafes, and spending endless hours attempting to write something that was halfway decent. "But it wasn't what I expected."  
  
"How so? No studly guys to keep you company?" he teases.  
  
"Oh, there were plenty of those there. The only problem with studly English guys are that they are very much like the American kind. They only have one thing in mind."  
  
His face flashes a light shade of red suddenly, although I don't know what for. Why would he care how I spent my time in Paris? He was having the time of his life with Audrey, after all.  
  
"What is it, Pace?" I ask; my voice tinged with concern.  
  
"Ah, you didn't by any chance happen to have the same thing in mind as they did, did you?"  
  
Finally understanding what he was getting at, I fiercely shake my head no, not wanting to give him any wrong ideas - although, I don't know why it matters so much to me. "No, no, no, nothing like that."  
  
"Good."  
  
We sit in silence for a couple of minutes; just starring out at the water, our mind drifting in different directions. With my hands propped up in my chin, I sigh.  
  
"What is it, Jo?" he asks, picking up on my wistfulness.  
  
"Oh, I was just thinking, that's all."  
  
"About...?"  
  
"This summer. I just didn't expect things to end as they did. At the beginning of the summer all I could think about was Dawson-"  
  
"Like thats any change," he mutters bitterly, a shadow crossing his face.  
  
I hold up my hand, silencing him. "Let me finish." I take a deep breath, before beginning again. "For so long, my thoughts have been consumed with Dawson, Dawson, and more Dawson. I've built up this huge image of who he is in my head."  
  
"And you've realized the fantasy doesn't exactly live up to the reality?" Pacey finished, echoing my thoughts. All I could do was nod my head slowly, absently picking at a blade of grass.  
  
"Yeah, I guess you're right," I say softly. "It's the funniest thing though - during my time in Paris, my mind rarely even crossed Dawson. Here I finally had him, and I couldn't even be bothered to think about him." My gaze drops to the ground for a moment, a little ashamed about what I was saying - it sounded so selfish. "Does that make me a bad person?"  
  
"No, Jo, I don't think it's possible for you to be a bad person."  
  
His words strike something deep inside; and I feel like laughing insanely, but instead tears spring to my eyes. It's just something about the way he said it...it sounded as if he really meant it.  
  
"Something the matter, Jo?"  
  
I shake my head. "No, everything's fine. Completely fine."  
  
He raises an eyebrow at me, still a little skeptical, but he decides to drop it for now.  
  
"So..." my voice trails off, trying to fill the silence between us. "How about a bite to eat? You could come back to the B&B and sample some of Bodie's delicious cooking."  
  
"That sounds like heaven. But first I need to make a quick stop at Dougie's. I'll be staying with him for the next few days and I need to drop my stuff off."  
  
"So this was the first place you came?" I ask, sounding surprised. "Why?"  
  
"I guess I just needed a place to think. To, you know, unwind."  
  
I nod my head, understanding. I had often come here in times of trouble whenever I needed a place to think.  
  
"I'll see you later, then?"  
  
"You can count on it," I reply; before turning to leave, giving him one last look. My eyes catch his gaze; a chill of excitement running down my body, but I quickly dismiss it.  
  
"See ya later, Jo."  
  
"Bye, Pace." 


	2. The Past Not Yet Forgotten

On Days Like These - Chapter Two  
  
Notes: First, let me apologize for taking so long to get this chapter out. I will try to update more frequently from now on. My aim is to try to get at least one chapter out per week. Other than that, hope you enjoy, and please continue to leave reviews. They mean a lot! ;)  
  
***  
  
The B&B is hot and stuffy as I walk through the doors; sweat dripping off my body, my head pounding. Me, being the adventurous sort that I am, decided to take a long jog around the creek, in order to clear my mind and sort through the dribble that resided there. Now, half an hour later, I had returned, the dull ache in my back making me grimance in pain.  
  
"Water," I pant breathlessly to Bessie, who is absently kneeling by the kitchen counter, leafing through our monthly bills. She looks about as tired as I feel.  
  
"Geez Jo, you look like something the cat dragged in," she told me with a smirk, filling a glass of water for me from the pitcher. I gratefully take it, downing the glass in a few quick gulps. I lazily slump into a nearby chair, a sigh emitting from my mouth as I sink back into it.  
  
"I better change," I say after a moment, finally finding the energy to stand again.  
  
"What's the ocassion?" Bessie asks me, still busy scanning over the documents that lay before her.  
  
I shrug. "Nothing."  
  
"What's wrong with the clothes you're wearing, then?"  
  
Glancing down at myself, I crinkle my nose in distaste. "They're all sweaty."  
  
Bessie raises an eyebrow at me, but doesn't say anything. She knows that something is up, so I might as well spill the beans. Nothing to lose, right?  
  
"Pacey's coming over," I finally say, shifting my weight from one foot to the next. I'm nervous as hell all of a sudden, and I don't quite know why.  
  
"Isn't he supposed to be in L.A with Audrey?"  
  
"He's supposed to be," I say, and my voice got real quiet. "But he's not. He just got back earlier this afternoon."  
  
A knowing smile crosses her lips, but it is quickly replaced by the concerned big sister smile that I have often come to know. "So when's he coming over?" she asks, with an amused chuckle in her voice. I have no clue as to what is so funny.  
  
"In about half an hour," I tell her. "Which is why I need to change."  
  
"So get going, then." She shoos me upstairs with a wave of her hand, but not before asking one final question. "Is Audrey coming over with him?"  
  
I shake my head no. "I don't think she came home with him. She's probably back at her place for a few days. Resting, no doubt. A summer of Pacey will do that to ya."  
  
A grin spreads across her face. "You should know."  
  
What is she getting at? "Yeah, I should...go get changed. See ya."  
  
  
20 minutes later, a loud rap sounds at the door, and I figure it's probably him. Licking my dry lips, I nervously smooth an invisible wrinkle in my tank-top before heading to the door. I pull it open - and just as I suspected, he's standing there.  
  
"Hey Potter," he says, hurrying past me. "You look nice." His words are almost an afterthought; something he's always said and doesn't give much thought to. It does feel a little different, standing here with him. We've both changed so much - but yet just seeing his face brings me back to lazy Sunday afternoons curled up on the couch, our arms entwined, planning the future that we would never have.  
  
"You don't look too bad yourself," I reply casually, offering him a seat as he follows me into the living room. He plops down onto a nearby armchair, and I, on the couch. After a moment, silence descends upon us, and I don't like it. "So...tell me about your summer in L.A with Audrey."  
  
"It was crazy."  
  
"Your summer or Audrey?" I manage with a chuckle.  
  
"Both."  
  
Giggling, I nod my head. "Sounds about right."  
  
"She sure is hard to keep up with. Seems we went to a different party every night." There is an edge to his voice, and I wonder about that.  
  
"But I thought you were the original party animal, Pace."  
  
The grin slides easily onto his face. "That I am."  
  
"So what was really the problem?"  
  
"My, my, curious tonight, aren't we Josephine," he says teasingly. "Why are you so invested in my relationship with Audrey anyway?"  
  
"Because..." I stammer for a moment, having been caught off guard. Quickly regaining my composure, I force what I hoped was a fairly sincere smile to my face. "Because I care about the both of you. You should know that."  
  
"Is that all?"  
  
"Of course that's all!" I say rather loudly, not bothering to hide the obvious anger that entered my voice. "What else could it possibly be?"  
  
He holds up both hands, as if to signal some kind of truce. "Woah. Sorry I even asked..."  
  
"Is it so wrong that I don't want to see either of my friends hurt?" I continue on, my defenses coming on high alert.  
  
"No, nothing wrong with that at all," he agrees. "It just sounded like there was something more there."  
  
I raise my eyebrows at him. "Like what?"  
  
"Like, oh, I don't know...jealousy perhaps?"  
  
I give him my famous death glare before letting out an amused chuckle. The things that boy comes up with. Me, jealous? "You're getting far too cocky for your own good, Witter."  
  
"That's what you love about me."  
  
I scoff at him, rolling my eyes. "You wish."  
  
"Oh, I wish for a lot more than that," he points out, leering at me in his typical Pacey way. It was almost kind of cute...in a deranged sort of way.  
  
"Oh, please. Spare me your perverted fantasies," I mutter sarcastically, but there is a joking tone to my voice, so he just laughs.  
  
When did this happen? We had been on the verge of fighting, over something I can't quite grasp, and now here we are; slipping back into our usual routine. It's always that way with Pacey and me.  
  
As we continue to bicker and swap stories about the summer, I find a grin spreading across my face, pleased that we had settled into some type of comfort zone. To be honest, it hadn't been this easy to talk to somebody in a long time. A very long time. 


End file.
